Post navigation

Stephon Clark, Never Forgotten

On March 19th, 2018 a young black man, Stephon Clark, was shot to death by local law enforcement in his own backyard in Sacramento, CA. Two police officers shot Clark 20 times, without providing lifesaving efforts. The two officers claim that Clark was pointing a gun towards them, but a weapon was not found anywhere near the scene. All that was found was Clark’s phone. Body cameras on the officers were muted. The two officers, one black, were placed on paid administrative leave. Stephon Clark was only 22, and he left behind two children.

People all around the country have shown their feelings and spoken out. The Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics wore warm up jerseys that read, “Accountability. We are one,” with the back the jerseys reading “#StephonClark.”

The officers are awaiting a decision as to their fate, and Clark’s family is pushing for criminal charges. Many people are furious and want change, and it’s time for it. This shouldn’t have happened, Clark was a young black man, leaving behind two children at the age of 22.

An independent autopsy was done on Clark, and it was found that he was hit 8 times; 6 in his back, one on his side, and one on his leg. The case was ruled a homicide according to autopsy reports. The autopsy contradicted what police originally stated. Police stated Clark was advancing towards them, but that would’ve been virtually impossible since he was hit in the back 6 times. According to the autopsy report, if Clark had survived, he would have been severely disabled with a shattered vertebrae, a collapsed lung, and an arm broken into “tiny bits.”

Protesters and supporters have taken the streets almost everyday since Clark’s death. They don’t want his name to be forgotten, they want him to be remembered.